The Majorana Zero-Neutrino Double-Beta Decay Experiment White Paper

Technical Report · Thu Mar 07 00:00:00 EST 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/15005739· OSTI ID:15005739

Gaitskell, R; Barabash, A; Konovalov, S; Stekhanov, V; Umatov, V; Brudanin, V; Egorov, S; Webb, J; Miley, Harry S; Aalseth, Craig E; Anderson, Dale N; Bowyer, Ted W; Brodzinski, Ronald L; Jordan, David B; Kouzes, Richard T; Smith, Leon E; Thompson, Robert C; Warner, Ray A; Tornow, W; Young, A ; Collar, J I; Palms, John M; Doe, P J; Elliott, Steven R; Kazkaz, K; Robertson, Hamish; Wilkerson, John

The goal of the Majorana Experiment is to determine the effective Majorana masss of the eletron neutrino. Detection of the neutrino mass implied by oscillation results in within our grasp. This exciting physics goal is best pursued using double-beta decay of germanium because of the historical and emerging advances in eliminating competing signals from radioactive backgrounds. The Majorana Experiment will consist of a large mass of 76Ge in the form of high-resolution detectors deep underground, searching for a sharp peak at the BB endpoint. We present here an overview of the entire project in order to help put in perspective the scope, the level and technial risk, and the readiness of the Collaboration to begin the undertaking.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 15005739
• Report Number(s): PNNL-13816; TRN: US0305636
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
DECAY
DETECTION
ELECTRON NEUTRINOS
GERMANIUM
NEUTRINOS
OSCILLATIONS
PHYSICS